


Voltron - Lost Memories (English)

by Eban98



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Gay Keith (Voltron), Hurt Lance (Voltron), M/M, Memory Loss, POV Keith (Voltron)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-23
Updated: 2019-12-08
Packaged: 2020-03-13 07:22:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18936148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eban98/pseuds/Eban98
Summary: Keith wakes up in a future completely unknown to him. One where the war has ended. The most difficult thing for him is not only to accept that he forgot much of his life, but to discover that the part he forgot is the one in which he fell in love with Lance and decided to live together with him.





	1. Open the eyes

**Chapter 1:**

**“Open the eyes”**

 

Everyting was dark. I wasn’t able to see, but could still listen. Shooting. I heard echoes of voices. I didn’t know what they were saying, but it was clear that something was happening, and I couldn’t do anything…

I opened my eyes, but I only saw shapes and distorted figures. It seemed that time was stopping, because those figures were moving very slowly.

Then I heard voices again. No. One voice. Or actually the echo of a voice. It was close, but where? I couldn’t see. I didn’t know where it was coming from.

I knew I was lying on a bed. I felt the surface soft. I tried to move, but I felt an intense pain that forced me to stay still again. And that voice was still there. Each time it became clearer, but I still did not understand what he was saying. Because I knew he was talking to me.

I was so tired. And I didn’t know why, I just was. My body hurted. I remember closing my eyes and then the voice became clear. He was telling my name. Or I think so, because every time he said my name I forgot it.

It seemed he was desperate. Scared. Yes, because it was the voice of a man, but who? Who was he? When I closed my eyes, and finally understood what the voice was saying, I could feel a hand holding mine tightly. That feeling was... for some reason I felt safe. Still not knowing where I was or what was happening. That hand…

The voice was still calling me, so I forced myself to open the eyes. I still saw blur, and everything seemed to be covered in white light. «Am I dead?» I thought. No. I knew that I was alive. The pain and fatigue were proof of that. But then, why?

The voice said my name again, and this time I turned. I still didn’t recognize any form. But what I do recognized was the color blue. I’d never seen that blue. It was beautiful, why did I think it was beautiful? I was just a color after all.

But, why did I see blue? How could I see blue? I tried to concentrate, and discovered there were two blue circles in front of me. I was so confused… and so tired… but that voice was still calling me. I still felt our clasped hands.

Tiredness was killing me. Little by little I closed my eyes. The last thing I remember hearing was my name. And the last thing I remember seeying was those blue eyes.

I don’t know why… but those were now my favorite color.

…

…

…

I don’t know how long I was asleep. Because I know I was sleeping. At least that’s how I felt it. It wasn’t really a nap. Sometimes my mind would wake up, but my body refused to open the eyes. I tried to move, to say a word, but my body just didn’t agree.

But every time I woke up, so to speak, every time I moaned and tried to move I could feel his hand again. And I heard that voice again. He told me, “Easy. Easy. I'm here. I'm here.” It's what he always said.

I don’t know who this stranger was. Because I knew he was a man. His voice was extremely familiar, but I didn’t recognize it. But it didn’t matter, because when I listened to him, a part of me calmed down. I felt safe. And then I went back to sleep. Holding his hand tightly.

This happened several times, although I don’t know how many. I only know that every time my mind woke up I recovered strength. Although not as fast as I would’ve liked. I began to believe that I was in an endless nightmare. A dream inside a dream, inside a dream... But that hand and that voice were always there, and they made me feel calm. It felt real. Although when you dream everything feels real.

The last time my mind awoke, I didn’t let myself be overcome by fatigue. I gathered all my strength and tried to move my arms. My hands. But I still couldn’t do it. He was still there, and he would not leave me alone. He kept talking to me and kept holding my hand.

Why it didn’t bother me? I hated the contact... Not because I didn’t like it, but because I had never been good at showing affection. I didn’t know how to do it That's why I avoided it. But here, in this perpetual dream, that he held my hand was what comforted me. So, when I felt his skin again, I held him as strong as I could and forced myself to open my eyes.

The white light had lost intensity, but I still had trouble focusing. At least now I identified the ceiling, the light and the walls of my room. If it was my room. I didn’t give importance. What I wanted was to see this person. I wanted to know who he was.

When I turned the head he was there. The first thing I saw were those beautiful eyes. His brown skin. And his brown hair. I knew he was familiar to me. I had seen him before. I had to remember him.

“Hey mullet.”

The tone of his voice. His smile. Damn it, I knew him! I couldn’t remember his name!

“No, no! Do not do that. It's okay.”

In my desperate attempt to speak, to want to know who he was, I began to complain and forced my body to get up. That hurt, I admit, but I didn’t want to sleep anymore, I wanted to finally wake up. But my body didn’t have the strength to do what I asked. Then he ran his hand through my hair. The way he stroked me was also too familiar.

“You'll be fine... I'll take care of you.”

When I saw him cry, I was frozen. When I saw him suffer, my heart began to beat very hard. I had no idea who this person was, but I knew I didn’t want to see him suffer. All I could do was press his hand. And without wanting to, I fell asleep again.

…

…

…

…

I opened my eyes one more time. The blur was almost gone, and I finally noticed that I wasn’t in my room. I didn’t have idea of where I was. To my left there was a window. It was night, and I could only see the dark sky.

Then I felt movement beside me. In the same bed I was lying on. It was him. He was still by my side. He was sitting in a chair, but he had leant his head on my bed. He slept peacefully, but he looked tired... and I don’t know why, but I wondered if it was my fault. I still didn’t know what was happening, but being there with him... with... with... L-

His name came to my mind. But the effort to remember his name took away all my strength, and the dream took hold of me again. I wasn’t going to sleep again, no...

My movements woke him up. He looked worried.

“Keith! What is it? What happen?”

“ _...Ke-Keith…_ ”

How is it possible that I hadn’t thought of my own name? Maybe I didn’t worry. It was not my name I wanted to know. It was his. And I already knew it.

“ _…L-La…_ ”

“Keith?”

There was an expression on his face that I didn’t recognize. Fear. Hope. Maybe both.

“.. _La-Laaaa-”_

«Damn it! Speak!»

“ _…Lance._ ”

He smiled at me. And again he cried.

"Yes," He said between sobs. “Yes! I'm Lance.”

“ _Lance._ ” My throat was scratchy. My voice was barely a whisper, but he could hear it.

“ _Lance… Lance…_ Lance.”

I said it, and I said it. At last I had remembered it. I knew who he was.

Lance.

Lance.

Lance…

Just as he took my hand again, I fell into a deep sleep.


	2. Awake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After his endless cycle of sleeping and waking up. Keith finally regains consciousness, only to discover a shocking truth.

**Chapter 2:**

**“Awake”**

_…_

_I opened the eyes._

_I was in space. I was piloting a ship and moving forward. There was nothing, but the stars. I don’t know where I was going, or what my mission was, but I knew that I had a destination and it was my duty to get there._

_Then I turned to the right, and noticed someone next to me. A dark and blurry figure. I knew it was human, but I couldn’t recognize any features, I couldn’t tell who it was, but I knew I was worried about that person. I had to protect that person, but also I felt the need to reach my destination. I looked forward, and looked at the figure. Again and again, because I didn’t know what to do._

_Suddenly the figure was gone. And that’s when I realized what was that mattered most to me. I felt very empty, and concern for that person, and it was gone. Now I was traveling alone, towards the unknown._

_…_

I finally woke up. My eyes were able to open, although the light in the room blinded me for a moment. The strength in my arms had finally returned. I rubbed my swollen eyes and waited for them to adjust to the light. I felt my mouth dry and my tongue sticky. I was very thirsty. I was already tired of lying down, so I leaned on my hands to sit down. Doing so I felt a sharp pain in my left hand that made me scream. When I looked, it was just an IV, which should be administering medication. Despite the pain, I managed to lay my back on the pillow. Then he appeared in my mind.

“Lance!”

Altough my voice was still scratchy, and I needed water immediately, I said his name clearly. I remembered having always seen him by my side, I always heard him on my right, so I turned. But there was no one. I looked for him around the room but there were no signs of him, on anyone else. I was alone. And now I was confused. Before I woke up, when I was still weak, I remembered seeing him, hearing him, even feeling him. I looked at my hand, remembering his. And then I felt silly for what I was doing.

The room I was in had two doors. The biggest one, I imagine it was the entrance and exit of the room. At the other side, a thinner one. I thought it could be a closet, or maybe another room, or a bathroom, because that door opened and someone came out. I thought it could be Lance, but instead it was…

“Shiro…”

“Keith!”

His eyes lit up so much, and he smiled at me in such a way that I couldn’t help but smile too. It was as if I hadn’t seen him in a long time.

“Shiro!”

He walked towards my and hugged me very hard. I wondered when it would’ve been the last time he hugged me. At that moment I felt calm, briefly relieved.

“I’m so glad to see you awake!” He told me after he released me. “How do you feel?”

“I need water.” I said, putting my hand on my throat.

“Sure!”

He quickly went to a small table, poured water from a jug into a glass and gave it to me. The sweetest and most refreshing glass of water of my entire life. I asked for another one. Although I had finally woken up, and I was sitting, and my arms and legs were already responding, my head hurt a little, and I still felt exhausted.

“Shiro…” I wanted to know many things. What time was it? Where were we? What had happened? What about Voltron? Lotor?, and many more questions that I could’ve asked. But when I saw Shiro carefully, when I studied his face, I could only ask him one question. “What happened to you?”

“Uh? What are you talking about?”

“Your- your hair. It’s white.” And not only that. Shiro looked older. Not old, of course, but he wasn’t the way I remembered him. Nor did he wear his normal clothes, or the Black Paladin armor. It looked more like a uniform. “And, your- your arm.” He still had a robotic prosthesis, but it was very different. Now it was magnetically attached to his shoulder. I got worried. “Shiro! What happened? Where-”

Anxiety made me get up, but trying it only made the IV hurt in my hand and a headache. Shiro came up to me quickly and put his hands on my shoulders. “Keith! It’s okay. Stay calm. Nothing happens.” He made me lay again on the pillow. In spite of everything he kept smiling. “I know you feel confused. But it’s normal. Almost.”

“What are you talking about?” Shiro lost his smile. And now he seemed worried.

“Well…” He thought a few seconds. “Do you have any idea where are you? Where were you before you woke up here?”

I thought of this place first. Again I looked around me. It was clear to me that it was not a common room. And it was not a hospital room either, not entirely. I didn’t know where I was

“I’m sorry Shiro. I don’t know this place.”

A woman's voice caught our attention. “Yes you do.”

When I saw her, it wasn’t fear that I felt, but distrust. A Galra appeared by the main door. A female Galra. Memories of the war were present in my mind, and I felt a huge need to get up and fight. But when I saw her carefully, I realized that she wasn’t like the rest of her race. She was more slender, her eyes were not quite yellow, and her armor… her armor… I knew her.

“Are you… are you… of the… the…” I tried to remember it. I knew the name. But the more I tried to remember my voice lost strength. And I despaired. Instead, she gave me a sympathetic look. She approached me.

“The Blade of Marmora.”

“Yes!” I said with relief. “Exactly!”

She smiled at me. “I am a member of the Blade. My name is Krolia, do you remember who I am?”

There was something familiar about her, but I didn’t know why. “I- I don’t know.”

She looked down, then looked at Shiro with a serious expression. “You have to tell him.” Her voice became authoritative. I was surprised.

“Not yet,” said Shiro, almost pleading. “He must understand it little by little, let the others come first.”

“If you don’t tell him, I’ll tell him.”

I didn’t want to ask, but I did. “Tell me what?” Krolia looked at me. There was some compassion, and also courage in her eyes. It was familiar to me.

“Keith, I have to tell you that-”

Shiro interrupted her. “Krolia is your mother!”

I looked at Shiro. Then I looked at Krolia. My mind wasn’t ready to hear that. At first I didn’t believe it. It could not be. But when Krolia looked at me, something inside told me it was true. I cannot describe the joy, the confusion, and also the anger that I felt at that moment. “You… You’re my-” Then something happened. My head hurt, and I closed my eyes for a moment. When I opened them I was in a ship, with Krolia in front of me, repeating exactly the same words. I blinked, and saw ourselves fighting together in a Galra base. I blinked, and remembered...

“Keith?” She said.

“It's not the first time we see each other, right?” I looked up. There was something on her face. She seemed to be a very strong Galra, but there was pain in her eyes.

“That’s right, Keith. We had met before.”

“Then why I can’t-”

“It’s what I wanted to tell you.” Krolia looked at Shiro, almost annoyed. It was obvious that they disagreed in something. But if it was so important to worry, _my mother_ , I felt I should know it too.

“Shiro,” I looked at him, “what’s going on?”

Instead, in Shiro I saw pain and fear, I had never seen Shiro so worried about something, or someone. Not even for me. It was as if someone had died or something… and then I thought about Lance. My pulse quickened, and I don’t know why, and if something bad had happened to Lance? But… Why did Lance worried me so much?

Shiro pulled me out of my thoughts. He leaned towards me. He spoke slowly.

“Keith. I don’t know how prepared you are to hear this, but… in your last mission you suffered an accident. A terrible one. You suffered damage to your legs, your ribs, and even your arm. But the most worrisome damage for all, was the one in your head. The impact was such, that-” Shiro cleared his throat. “We knew you were going to wake up, but there was- there _is_ a high possibility that you would suffer a memory loss.”

I was in shock. I didn’t know what to say. I couldn’t understand. I didn’t want to believe it. I looked at my arms. I didn’t notice any damage. I discovered myself and looked at my legs… and I couldn’t believe I had scars, as if they’d had to operate on me. I couldn’t believe it.

“But-,” I didn’t know what to say. “But I- But I remember you, Shiro! I recognized you!” I felt desperate. “I remember Voltron, I remember Lance- I remember the other Paladins-,” my breath quickened. I’ve never felt so anxious. “I remember… I remember Krolia!”

“And that’s a very good sign,” she said calmly. “It means the damage isn’t as deep as we feared.”

“Deep!? Then what did you expect?”

They didn’t answer me. The pain in my head did nothing but increase. And it started to hurt a lot. So much that I had to press with my hand on the temple.

“Keith! Are you okay?” Shiro asked, but I ignored his question.

“How long was I asleep?”

It was Krolia who answered me. “Almost eight weeks”

“What?” I looked at her incredulously. But I knew she was serious. Eight weeks… two months. “B-but the war! What happened to Voltron? And Lotor? What happened to Zarkon?”

“Keith.” Shiro took me by the shoulders.

“What!?” I yelled. I felt a terrible desire to cry, but I didn’t.

“Keith,” he repeated. He sighed. “The war is over. We won.” He tried to smile, but clearly he wasn’t happy.

“What do you mean _over_?”

“Just that. The was finished. Zarkon, Lotor, Honerva. We beat them.”

I couldn’t believe it. It couldn’t be posible. But then… “How long ago was that?”

I looked at Krolia. She, like me, was crossed arms with her eyes closed. It was our way of dealing with situations. She opened her eyes and looked at me. And without saying anything, I begged her to answer me.

“The war ended four years ago.”

I felt dizzy, by breathing quickened. My heart was beating so hard that I thought it would hurt me. Shiro told me something else, but I only heard murmurs. Four years. I couldn’t be. The headache became a sting.

And I was glad.

Because at the moment I felt it, the tiredness, the same tiredness took hold of my again. My body became weak again. And I couldn’t stay awake any longer.

I still heard Shiro say my name before I became unconscious.

…

Four years.

…

How could it be possible?


	3. Well-known Faces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith wakes up again. This time he is not alone, some people are with him, some he would never forget. Yet, there's someone missing.

**Chapter 3:**

**“Well-known Faces”**

 

I think I slept all the rest of the day. When I woke up again I heard mumbles in the room. Even though I knew I was awake, I wasn’t sure if they were voices in my head, or if they were real voices. After rubbing my eyes again, I opened them. Again I came across the morning light, but Shiro was still there, and he looked at me with relief. There were more people with him and I turned to seem them. The only person I recognized immediately was my mother, Krolia. She was talking to four other people. Although I still didn’t know who they were, I felt calm when I saw them. They chatted among themselves and hadn’t noticed that I woke up.

"Hello." I said quietly and smiling. I sat down again and leaned on the pillows. In my left hand I no longer had the intravenous, but it still hurt. Suddenly huge arms surrounded me, and they squeezed me.

“Keeeiith!!!” The big man shouted, a robust young man who grabbed me and lifted me from the bed, but he hugged me so hard that I lost my breath, I felt a strong pressure in my chest and the air went off. I couldn’t breathe.

“... _Help_...” I said almost in a whisper.

I heard the others shout "Stop. Wait Hunk. Leave him Hunk." And after saying," Oh, I'm sorry!” He released me and I fell on the bed. I inhaled as much air as I could, exhaled. I inhaled, and exhaled. I inhaled, and then I coughed. And then that name seemed familiar to me. I knew who he was.

“Hunk!” Said a girl. I also recognized her. It was Pidge's voice. “What's the matter with you?”

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” He answered. “It's just- I'm so glad to see him!”

“I’m glad… to see you… too,” I said, catching my breath.

But when I looked at them, as happened with Shiro, the image I had of them had changed. Their features, their hair, their clothes. I had no doubt that it was them. But from one moment to another it seemed that years had passed. Hunk, well, he was already a man. And Pidge was no longer a little girl. Not because she was little, but she always seemed to be the youngest of us, and now she looked like a young woman.

“Keith?” Shiro said. “How do you feel?”

I looked at Shiro. “I... I don’t know.” I looked back at Pidge and Hunk. The next question would sound silly, but for me it was very important. “Are you really Pidge and Hunk?”

They looked at each other. They were clearly worried. “Of course,” she said. “You don’t remember us?”

“Yes, I mean, I think so. I don’t know. It's just...” I didn’t know how to say it.

“What about me! What about me?” A man with orange hair and mustache stood in front of Pidge and Hunk. He looked at me anxious, but also relieved, I think. My heart felt lighter when I saw the man, because I could never forget him.

I smiled at him. “Hmm, I do not know. That mustache so well taken care of. That elegant carriage. And that outstanding hairstyle.” As I spoke, his eyes shone and his smile grew bigger. And then he adopted a very proud pose. And then I lied. “Nope! I don’t know who you are!” His smile disappeared."

“What! Keith, my boy! You really do not remember me?” He believed it.

“No, Coran. I don’t remember you.”

“Oh! For the love of... wait, my boy!” We all laugh. Coran gave me a very strong hug. And I felt very relieved, I don’t know why. “You gave me a tremendous scare!”

“Sorry. I suppose.”

Behind him was Krolia, who smiled at me. There was someone else beside her. Another young man with short hair, which I did not recognize either.

"Hello, Keith," he greeted me. "Do you know who I am?"

“I…” I thought for a while, but I didn’t get it. “I think not. Sorry.”

Although he looked disappointed, he kept smiling. Then he approached Pidge. Strangely, I noticed a resemblance.

“And now?” He asked. Pidge withdrew her glasses and hugged him. Something told me I knew the answer.

"Are you some family member of Pidge?" Then it seemed to me, indeed, to have seen him before. I knew him. “Wait, you are...! U-um... You're...” I tried again to get my brain to get the information I wanted. But I couldn’t achieve it.

"It's okay," he said. I think he wanted to surprise me or something, and he gave up. That discouraged me a little. “We knew this would happen.” He held up his hand. “My name is Matt.”

Then I recognized him. “Matt! Yes! That's what I was trying to..." I looked at him surprised. “Matt!”

“What is it?” He asked confused.

“What happened to your hair?”

Instead of answering me, he and Pidge and Hunk laughed. If they said a joke, I must have missed it. “I've been asked so many times already. I'll tell you another day.”

He winked. I wasn’t sure if he wanted to make me understand something. So I just nodded and looked around. I knew that someone else was missing. I looked at Coran and remembered her.

“Hey, and where is Allura? She’s not going to come see me?”

Suddenly all were silent. Something was happening and I didn’t understand it. “What?” I asked. They looked at each other. It was clear that they were hiding something from me “What happens?” I wanted to know.

Once again, Shiro was the one who answered my question. “Keith. Please, I ask you to keep calm. Allura...” He took a moment to answer. “Allura is no longer with us.”

“What are you talking about? Where is she?”

Shiro put his hand on my shoulder. “She’s gone.”

I understood it immediately. “What!? How? When? Why?” I wanted to know everything. Where she had been. Who had been responsible? If it happened because she wanted it or if she had no choice. And if I, as a Paladin, had been with her in her last moments, or if she would’ve been alone. I wanted to know if she had suffered. I wanted to know everything.

“Keith, it’s still not a good time to saturate yourself with so much information. It's just that so many things have happened.”

“Then tell me.” I looked at the others. “Please, tell me what happened, what happened in...” I thought about it. “What has happened in these last years?”

Hunk was the one who asked me. "What is the last thing you remember, of whatever?"

I took my time to answer. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes to concentrate. I looked in my memories. Apparently the most important things were there. My father. Our house. Shiro. The Garrison. It seemed that my childhood and my youth were intact. Almost. But I didn’t have time to think about that. I needed to focus, I needed to found a starting point. I thought about the day that Shiro returned from space on a Galra ship. I thought about the day we met the Blue Lion, and from there the memories sprang up. Until they stopped suddenly. Finally I opened my eyes.

"Sendak." I said. "The last thing I remember is that he was alive, but actually everything since we faced Lotor for the last time is confusing."

They looked at each other, and finally they started talking.

...

They told me many things, some that almost didn’t make sense, as well as they had to omit others. To start, I had not forgotten four, but the last five years. Or six, maybe. Shiro was afraid that hearing about so many events could cause me to collapse, like yesterday, so he handled all the information with caution.

They spoke to me from the fall of Zarkon at the hands of Lotor, and his ascension to the throne. His betrayal towards us. They also told me about Sendak and his attack on Earth. That impressed me, and for that reason, the only thing they allowed me to know was that we won. That we beat him. And that in fact, I was on Earth. They mentioned to me that in the end, it was Haggar, or, I mean, Honerva who planted herself to destroy us. They told me it took a lot of work, but thanks to the support of all our partners and friends we managed to overcome it. But finally, it was thanks to Allura that we were able to save the universe.

I felt a great sorrow. “Did she suffer?” I asked.

"No," said Hunk, almost smiling. “Actually, she went in peace, because she managed to save us all, and her kind.”

I nodded, although I didn’t fully understand what they were telling me.

...

I asked Shiro about his new arm. Although he got a little nervous and preferred not to answer me. In fact, he said he was glad that I couldn’t remember it.

“The only memory I hope you have about that is your scar, Keith. And I'm very sorry about that.”

“What scar?”

Shiro was paralyzed. In a way that made me fun. But I was serious. I explored my face with my fingers to see if I had any deformity or something. I felt it. Not a deformity, I mean. The scar. It covered my entire right cheek. I wanted to get up to look in the mirror, but they didn’t let me. In fact, they didn’t even let me get out of bed. I didn’t even walk to the bathroom. Because they didn’t want me to make too much effort, and I had to accept.

Also, they weren’t so sure to let me see my own reflection. If my memory of what my friends looked like had changed, probably mine too, and they didn’t want to risk having an impact. So I waited.

...

They stayed with me the rest of the day. When the doctor arrived he was also relieved to see me awake and calm. He explained to me, like Shiro, that I had suffered a very serious accident. That they had to operate my leg, and that the time to rest had already been fulfilled. My leg would take a while to recover its strength, but with support I could start walking. Although, not even in dreams, I would never use a crutch.

The doctor attributed my recovery to my Galra DNA, as well as the side effects. He confessed to me that I survived by miracle. I didn’t want to find out why, not yet. He said there was a high probability that I would recover my memories in a few months, as well as that those memories would never come back. Although that gave me a little fear, I preferred to trust that soon I would recover my memories, and my life would return to normal. Then I asked myself, what kind of life would I have had in the last years?

Later he mentioned to me certain care that I’d have to take. That I should not try doing difficult things, that if there was discomfort or severe headache I wouldn’t hesitate to go back with him. I just nodded. I had never been a follower of doctors and their recommendations. It's not that I didn’t take care of myself, I just did it my way. But this time, I knew I’d have to follow some rules.

…

The rest of the day passed quietly. I hadn’t realized that I was starving until they brought me breakfast to my room. It was delicious, although Hunk assured me that having prepared it himself would have been ten times better taste.

My friends talked to me about the last days of the war. Of course they omitted things too intense, but still managed to tell me their great adventures. Our adventures

Krolia left us later. I didn’t want her to leave, but I knew that she had duties with the Blade. If it still existed.

“Of course yes!” She said. "After the fall of the old Empire, the Blade of Marmora became the new ideal for the Galra. Keith, be proud, because you helped to make that possible.”

She didn’t tell me more.

...

Although I wanted to know even more about the war, and even what had happened afterwards, Pidge and Hunk distracted me with certain games. Riddles, draw a certain word and that others guessed, also carried colored cards. All this seemed silly to me at first, but playing with them felt really nice. I wondered if that was how our relationship would have always been, or from what moment it had become so personal and unique. We all laughed all the time.

However, shortly after my meal I felt drowsy again. As if I had been exercising all morning, and now my body felt tired again. But my head didn’t hurt anymore. Then I looked at each of my friends, and for the first time in... I don’t know how much, I felt at home. I closed my eyes to rest, risking to fall asleep.

That's when he came back to my mind. I snapped my eyes open and got up to look for him, but he was not there. It was the second time I woke up, and again there were no signs of Lance. He hadn’t bothered to appear, and I couldn’t understand it, because I remembered him by my side, before regaining consciousness.

Not even my friends had talked about him. I wondered if he was okay. And I feared the worst. And, what if he had suffered an accident like me? What if he was hurt? What if he was d-? No! I remembered him. He told me he was always going to be by my side, wasn’t he? When did he tell me that? But why did I worry so much? Why did I give it so much importance?

"Hey," I said finally. "And Lance?"

“Lance?” Hunk asked. "You're right. He hasn’t called or sent me a message.” Hunk checked his cell phone. “I'll call him.”

Hunk left the room. I looked at Shiro. “Is he... is he okay?”

“Who? Lance? He is very good.”

"Very concerned, too," said Pidge, "since the accident he's come to see you almost every day.”

«Then it was true» I thought.

“Then- then where is he?”

Shiro smiled at me. “Easy, Keith. He has always been with you. But sometimes work forces him to travel off the planet.”

“What? What work?”

“The, um, well, um...” Shiro put back that look of 'I just said something you're supposed to know but you clearly don’t’. It was Pidge who answered me.

“What do you remember about him, Keith?”

“Me? Well, I know we were rivals... and then we became friends. He was piloting the Blue Lion, and I was piloting the Red Lion. Then we changed, and...” my mind repeated the last memories I had. Or the most recent ones, actually. “... and I also remember him by my side. But very unclearly.” I rubbed my fingers. I remembered his blue eyes. His beautiful blue eyes. I remember seeing him cry. When I remembered it, my eyes narrowed.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes, I'm just sleepy.”

Hunk came in.

“He says he arrives today at night. The negotiations took longer than expected, but he’s coming. Are you ready to see him Keith?” Hunk gave me a very strange look, and his voice changed too. But I really didn’t know what he was talking about. Without wanting to, I gave a big yawn and my eyelids closed against my will.

“What are you talking about...? Hunk?”

“Relax. He will be here soon.”

I didn’t want to sleep...

“I hope he doesn’t take… so long.”

I fell into a deep sleep.


	4. A Broken Mind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith still can't control his mind, much less after a nightmare. Too many emotions together still make him collapse.

 

 

_... Everything around me was dark and blurry. I could notice movement, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't see anything well. I wouldn't know if it came from me, or if it happened around me. I think the latter. Then I heard voices, but I couldn't understand any of them. They shouted it seemed to be an argument. Then, colored spots moved towards me... no, I moved towards them. I was aware of my body movements and discovered that I was running. I don't know why. The yells did not stop, increased, and I still didn’t understand a single word. I just knew I was running. Until suddenly a red spot formed right in front of me. The color became fire. It threw itself on me, and I screamed ... I could hear someone shout my name right then..._

_..._

“AAAAHHH!”

I woke up screaming. I felt scared and distraught. I knew I was sweating, and I had trouble breathing. I tried to focus my eyes, but when I looked around, everything was still blurry. I could only distinguish a spotlight on me.

“Where…?! Where…!”

I didn't know where I was, or who I was screaming at. That just made me scared even more. I didn't know where I was, I couldn't remember it! And suddenly dark spots formed on me. They were formless black lumps. They held me and approached me. I had to escape them. I squirmed in bed, I had to get out of there.

In my attempt to escape from those shadows, my hand slipped and I hit the ground. I felt intense pain throughout my body. But I couldn't stay there. The shadows were still over me, and when I turned I could see their bright eyes. I tried to crawl to get out of there. But one of those shadows fell on me and held me by the arms.

“Noooo! NO!!!” I shouted and shouted. I squirmed trying to free myself but the shadow held me tightly and shook me. I kept fighting. I did not understand what was happening. I closed my eyes very strongly, I wished that all this nightmare would end... and then I heard my name. Loud and clear.

"Keith!!" It was Shiro's voice. I opened my eyes immediately, and he was in front of me. He held me by the shoulders and looked at me... he looked at me as if... I can't tell. Also, when I just opened my eyes, I saw him exactly as I remembered. Younger, dark hair with white strands, but after blinking, he grew old again. He had his white hair and glasses... he kept calling me.

"Keith!" Please respond!

"Shiro...” I finally said. He relaxed, remarkably. He let out a sigh and hugged me. I noticed Hunk, Pidge, and Coran behind him. They looked worried. I looked at the lights in the room and recognized them. I saw the bed, and everything started coming back to my mind... well, everything from the last two days. Shiro finally stepped back, but he didn't let go.

“Are you alright? Do you remember what happened? Talk to me!” There was something in his way of speaking. It wasn’t just anguish, he was upset. Why was he upset?

“Shiro… I-”

“We can’t keep going through this!” His hands held me tighter. More than necessary.

“What are you talking about?” I didn't understand what he meant.

"Shiro! This is not the way.” Pidge rebuked him.

He turned at her. And then he looked at me again. His robotic arm was still pressing my shoulder and it was starting to hurt. When he noticed, he relaxed again, and then released me. He got up and stepped back a few steps, and I leaned against the wall, just below the window.

"Shiro... forgive me. I just... I had a nightmare. Or so I think. There was...” I tried to control my breathing. “There were shadows, and when I woke up, I thought I was still dreaming... forgive me, I-”

“I know.” He said. He rubbed his eyes. "It's not the first time that…" He didn't finish the sentence. "I thought I would be better prepared," he said more to Pidge than to me. As an excuse. I looked at him confused, I even bowed my head.

“What are you talking about?”

Hunk's cell phone rang. When he checked it, he held his breath. “Lance is here.”

My heartbeat was hard. And I didn't know why.

“What? Asked Shiro.”

“We have to put him on the bed!” Said Pidge.

“I’ll do it!” Coran offered.

"No," I said, "I can do it."

"Keith, no!" Shiro told me. He tried to hold me by the arms, but I didn't let him.

“I said I can!"

My body still hurt, but I didn't care. I held on to the wall with my hands and pushed myself up. I didn't get it the first time. Nor the second time. I stopped to catch my breath, why was it so hard for me to stand up? I ignored the request of the others to help me and tried again. And finally, I started to rise. I folded my left leg and was able to push myself up. I almost got it, I just had to support myself with the other leg and I would already be standing. But when I moved it and laid it on the ground, intense pain ran through me. It tripped me and I fell to the ground.

I closed my eyes, trying to control the pain. I heard the others talking to me, they wanted to know if I was okay. And then they kept silent. It was so sudden that it alarmed me. I opened my eyes to look at them, but none looked at me. Everyone was looking in another direction. I turned to see myself and...

It was the door of the room. It was open, and right in the middle was someone standing. A young man with brown skin, brown hair and blue clothes. He had a backpack in his arms, it seemed heavy. He looked at me with the same face of surprise that I had, until his eyes filled with tears. He dropped the backpack at once and ran towards me with a speed that I could not process. When I realized, he had thrown himself to the ground and was already on me.

"Keith! Keith!!!” He shouted my name over and over again. He hugged me so hard, it almost hurt. But it wasn’t true. He kept saying my name, even though he was crying. Why was he crying? Had I done something wrong? I would’ve wanted to ask him. That and more, I had several questions that I wanted to ask. But my body didn’t respond again. This time it wasn't for the pain, it was for something else... it was then that I noticed that I was hugging him too. I don't know at what time, but I had held on to him, just like he did to me. The only thing that could get out of my mouth was his name. And I hesitated.

"...L-Lance...?"

"Keith!" He stepped back so he could look directly at me. The color of his eyes was the same as I saw when I was still unable to wake up. “Finally! Finally! Finally awake!” He kept crying, but he looked happy, I guess. He hugged me again, and I could only reply by hugging him too.

Something happened inside me. I felt...I felt like I had found something that was lost. It was satisfaction and a strange relief. I couldn’t help but smile. And then I spoke without thinking. “Where were you? Where were you!?” I asked. I didn't feel upset. I wasn’t claiming. I was happy. And when I realized I was crying. My body was doing what it wanted.

“I’m sorry!!” It was the only thing he... the only thing _Lance_ said. “I'm sorry!”

He tried to control his crying, but it was in vain. He kept crying, and I kept hugging him. I don't know how long he spent on my shoulder, but I didn't care. At that time, in that short and strange moment, I felt safe. Happy, but also weird. It was something... familiar. Until he was the one who pushed me away. He wiped his eyes.

“What the hell are you doing on the floor?!” He asked me. “What the hell is he doing on the floor?!” He asked the others.

In a second, his voice became strong, direct and imposing. I think... mature. Shiro tried to justify himself, the others the same. But they talked so fast, and all at once, that I couldn't understand a word. And suddenly I was no longer on the floor. I was floating... no, of course not... someone was carrying me. Lance. He had taken me in his arms, which I did not realize that they had held me by the waist and legs. He lifted me with tremendous ease, which made me wonder how strong he was, or how light I was, was I ever heavy? And yet, he put me back in bed with great care and attention, as if I was going to break.

In other circumstances, and surely with someone else this would have bothered me a lot. Being treated with such attention was not something I was used to, I think. But not with him. And I do not know why. I couldn't stop looking at him. Even annoyed as he was, arguing with the others, he was the only one who had hardly changed anything. Well, I lie, his features had become more detailed, his chin was squarer, and his hair was slightly longer. But from then on, almost everything was the same. Except for two blue marks that glowed on his cheeks. They reminded me of... they reminded me of...

I closed my eyes and brought my hands to my head. I demanded that my brain remember it, I knew that I knew! Somewhere in my mind was the name I was looking for... Allura! I felt proud to remember.

Then something too strange happened. From one second to another, a creature similar to a wolf appeared just in front of me. But his fur, his eyes, even his size were abnormal. They didn't look like anything I had seen before. The surprise was such that I couldn't help screaming.

“AAAAHH!!! What is that!?” I tried to back away, but I had already reached the head of the bed. The wolf was huge. It was so big that his head was already on mine. I felt fear again. He brought his nose close to my head and I couldn't help being scared anymore. I covered my head with my arms and shouted, “He'll eat me alive!”

“Cosmo!” I heard Lance. “I told you not here!”

I opened an eye, and I could see Lance holding the creature. At first, I thought it was a wild animal and that Lance was fighting with him. But in reality, Lance carried it as if it were a dog.

He spoke. The others talked and argued. But I didn’t understand any words. Every time I heard their voices less. I felt dizzy and...

...

I fell...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

“Lance!!!” I woke up suddenly. I sat on the bed, but the movement was so fast, I lost energy again and fell on the pillow. I opened my eyes and saw myself surrounded by people again. But I didn't get scared anymore. They were my friends: Shiro, Pidge, Hunk, Coran and...

"Easy, Keith!" Shiro said, "Everything is fine."

I could only see one of them. “...Lance...”

“Hey there, mullet.” He said with a huge smile. It looked like he was going to cry again, but he didn't.

“You are here... but-” I tried to get up, to sit down at least. But the strength of my arms again disappeared.

"Keith!" Said Lance. "It’s okay, it’s okay! Don’t get tired. Everything is fine. Quiet... I'm here.”

"But... But the wolf!" I said worriedly. Then I felt silly. Like a little boy waking up from a nightmare. "No... Forget it. It must have been a nightmare.”

Lance laughed. "No, it wasn't. That’s Wolf. It is... it's your pet, Keith. And his name is Cosmo. Well, that's how some of us decided to call him.”

“What?” I looked at him skeptically. “Mine?” I yawned, “But what kind of wolf is that !?”

"Well... he's a Space Wolf,” he said with a smile. "But let's not talk about him now! It’s still soon for that. Better tell me, how do you feel?”

I yawned again, reluctantly. “I'm sleepy… again… I'm tired of sleeping…… I don't want to sleep anymore…” My eyes closed again. “Damn it!”

"Keith, calm down! Everything is fine. It is normal for you to remain tired. Go ahead, sleep. It's too late.”

Then I saw that he was beginning to move away. Without thinking, I stretched my arm and held his jacket tightly.

"Will you be here when I wake up?" I said with my eyes narrowed.

He smiled at me. "Always…”

And then I went back to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not dead, I'm not dead. This fic isn't forgotten either.


	5. Gifts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith wakes up and finally spends time with Lance. But he won't be able to ask any questions since he keeps busy with the gifts he brought.

 

I had no dreams or nightmares that night. Not as far as I remember. I woke up calmly and felt more relaxed. I looked at the window, and I could see the brightness of the morning sun. And I also saw Hunk. He was leaning on a chair, sleeping and snoring very loudly. That made me smile. I’d never seen him sleep, or maybe I did, but I didn't remember it. Then I looked to my right and, as he promised, Lance was there. The chair he took was right next to me. He had laid his head on the bed and there he was asleep.

I kept seeing his hair, oddly enough. I don't know why, but I liked it. Then I looked at his arms, and so I noticed that he was holding my hand. It seemed strange to me, so I just slowly removed it so as not to wake him up. I tried to get up a little to lay my back on the pillow, but when I rested my left hand I felt a stab again. The pain made me complain. And that noise, that little noise was enough for Lance to wake up.

"Keith?... Keith!?" He rose suddenly. “What's going on? Are you okay?”

"Yeah, yeah... relax. It was just…” I looked to my left. In my hand, I had a needle in my vein connected to a plastic tube, covered with white masking tape. I followed the plastic tube to the bag where the supposed medication fell. "Why do I have this again?" I asked kind of annoyed, and also worried.

Lance calmed down a little when he understood. “Oh! Don’t worry, nothing happens. You woke up last night with a terrible headache. And the nurse came to give you a serum. That's all, does your head hurt?”

"No." I looked at that thing again. I didn't like it, nor did I trust a needle to insert liquid into my body. I wanted to take that off immediately.

“Good! Don't worry, it's almost over.”

Hunk woke up at that moment.

“What time is it?”

“Oh, I don't know,” said Lance. He rubbed his eyes and yawned.

"Well." Hunk got up, stretched and scratched his head. I found it funny. “I'll go for a coffee, do you want one Lance?”

"I’d like a cappuccino."

“I want something!” I said immediately.

Hunk stared at me, and then looked at Lance. "Can I bring him something?"

I looked at Lance confused, then went back to Hunk. "Why are you asking him for permission?"

Lance laughed. “Keith, I don't think you can eat anything other than hospital food. But, Hunk can tell the nurses that you are thirsty and that they bring you some water, do you like it?”

"Hmm... I guess."

"Good," Hunk said. "Don't worry, Keith, I promise you that when you return home I will prepare that special cappuccino as you like, what you say?"

“To... to my house?" Despite not being sure what he was talking about, I liked the idea. “Deal.”

When Hunk left the room I tried to remember something, anything. Specifically about him. I assumed that in the last three, or four years, he had done great things. I knew he liked cooking. Maybe he would have done something related to that or, I don't know, maybe he had found someone to share his interest in cooking. Or whatever. But as much as I tried, the only thing I remembered was him as the Paladin of the Yellow Lion and I only remembered him at the Castle.

I gave up and returned to reality. So I noticed that Lance was looking at me weird. When I turned he didn't move. He was just looking at me smiling.

“Lance? You feel good?”

Suddenly he came back to himself, he just smiled at me more. “Yes! Yes, of course. The serum is over. I’ll withdraw it.”

“What? Shouldn't we call a nurse, better?” I said almost worried.

"Keith, calm down. I know how to do it.”

“Lance, no.”

“Keith…”

He was already on the other side. He did something and had stopped the transfer of the serum. One of his hands took my wrist, the other held my fingers.

"Easy," he said, "it will only hurt a little."

He began to remove the tape that held the needle. That hurt me, but it was bearable. But when the needle moved in my vein I closed my fist and stifled a scream.

“Lance!” I said when I checked myself.

“Almost done.”

"Lance, no!!"

I clenched my fist tightly, and I couldn't help holding his hand.

“Ready?”

Without giving me time to answer, he quickly removed the needle. And of course, now it did hurt a lot and I screamed, and what did he do? He just made fun of me!

“It's not funny!”

"Of course not," he kept laughing, "not at all. Have pressure with this cotton in your hand, so that it no longer bleeds.”

I took the cotton. “It's wet.”

"Do what I told you. I'll go to the bathroom.”

"Fine," how annoying.

I did as he told me. Then he went to the smallest door in the room. I guess that was the bathroom ... I wasn't sure I had gone to the bathroom ... I shook my head and erased that from my mind.

I don't know why, but an impulse seized me. The memory of the previous day of me unable to stand up, made me feel the terrible need to get up and try again. I looked at the bathroom door, hoping Lance wouldn't notice. I removed the sheets with a single movement, and I couldn't help looking at the scars on my right leg. But that didn't stop me. I sat on the bed and let my legs hang. I held onto the edge of the bed and lowered my left leg. This time, I felt stronger.

"Okay, okay..." I said to calm down, "everything’s fine."

I leaned on my foot and started to get out of bed. I carefully lowered my right leg until I touched the floor. My breathing sped up, but I had to do it. I rested my leg on the floor and everything was fine, just a twinge. I started leaning on the other foot, but it started to hurt, a lot. I couldn’t give up. I didn't want to give up. But in the end, my strength left me again and I hit the ground. My whole body ached, and that was not the worst.

"Keith!! What happened!?” I heard Lance call from inside the bathroom. In less than five seconds he was out of the bathroom. He waved his hands to remove the water. “What happened?”! He got to his knees and lifted me. "Keith! What happened?”

“Nothing!” I said reluctantly.

"Keith!"

"I tried to walk! Okay!?”

“Oh, Keith.”

Lance held me the same as last time and lifted me. He laid me on the bed again, but this time I didn't like it. “Keith, you shouldn't do that. Not without help.”

"Why can't I walk!?" I asked annoyed.

"You have been at rest for a long time. It will take time for your legs to regain their strength. And we must take more care of your leg by surgery. Until the doctor comes and tells us otherwise.”

"Don't talk to me like I'm a child!" I was upset. I looked down and crossed my arms. I couldn't believe that I couldn't do something as simple as walking, or looking in the mirror, or going to the bathroom on my own, not even remembering anything! "I don't need a babysitter!"

"I know, Keith!" Said Lance. I was still annoyed, but I looked at him strangely because he agreed with me. He rubbed his eyes and sighed. "Keith, listen. I need you to understand. Think that everything is fine, but to keep it fine you have to take care of yourself. I just want you to take care of yourself. Promise me that you will not try that again alone. Please.”

I knew Lance was right. So I just nodded. I leaned on the pillow and looked at the window. It wasn’t long when he spoke to me again.

"Hey, cheer up. Look at this.” When I turned around I saw that he brought his hand close to my face, and stopped. I looked at it, not knowing exactly what he intended. Then he withdrew it, and when I saw his face he was smiling. “I brought you something.”

Lance bent, and my curiosity followed. Then he lifted the huge backpack he had yesterday and dropped it on the bed.

“What’s in the backpack?”

“A present for you. Actually, eeeeverything inside here is for you.” He ran the backpack with his hand.

“What?”

“Yeah! Come on, open it!”

Lance sat in the chair still smiling, how could he smile so much? I sat on the bed. I wanted to cross my legs, but a stab in my right leg stopped me. At least the left didn't hurt. The backpack was too heavy to take with one hand, so I had to use both. "Lance, what did you put in here?" I said when I had it close.

"Open it and we'll find out."

Something strange was happening. Even if my memory failed, that was not Lance. Not the one I remembered. The Lance I met was very different. More worried about himself, arrogant, also more playful... I think. But this Lance was different. He seemed to be more careful, and maybe sweet. And that scared me because, if he had changed like that, then what was I like? I put that aside and focused on the backpack. I opened it and found many packages wrapped in red, blue and purple papers. I looked at Lance, who was just smiling at me. I began to take out the packages, some larger than others and stacked them around me on the bed until the backpack was empty.

When I finally finished taking them all out I started by unwrapping the smallest. It turned out to be a red box that fits in the palm of my hand, I opened it and discovered a necklace. And not just a single one. It was a three-piece silver necklace: the first seemed to be two interwoven tree leaves, the second piece was an arch that also curled at the tips, and the third piece seemed to be a diamond flower, I don't know if it was real or not. It was very beautiful, but too much to be mine.

“What is this?” I said surprised and amazed.

“It’s not obvious? It is a necklace.”

"This is more than a necklace! Lance, this can't be for me.” I held it by the chain and extended my arm to Lance, but he returned it to me.

“It is. And this is only the first one.”

I held the necklace, and when I finally understood that it was for me, I was very excited. I returned it to the box and placed it to my right. I quickly took another package. Slightly larger than the previous one. This one was softer. I unwrapped it and discovered a pair of black fingerless gloves, with a red-letter K.

“It can’t be! For me?” I asked incredulously. Lance couldn't smile anymore.

“I already told you yes! I got you these, since I lost the others, haha.” He scratched his head.

"The others what?" I asked as I put on my gloves.

"Uh... nothing. Go on, go on!"

Well, I did that. I continued with the larger packages. Lance had given me a red jacket, a pair of shorts and shirts too. Two pairs of dark and blue pants. Suddenly I developed what appeared to be a flashlight, but it had a hole instead of a spotlight. It had a strange button, and when I pressed it a purple light blade emerged from it

"It's a Lightsaber!" I shouted excitedly. I held the handle tightly and began to lunge and turn the gun. I loved it. Lance explained to me how he had achieved it, but honestly, I was so fascinated with the weapon that I didn't hear it. I had to turn it off because Lance said it was not allowed to enter the hospital with weapons, and he was afraid they would discover us.

He also brought me a sweater, red sneakers, black boots, and even a red stuffed lion.

“And what is this?” I asked holding the lion and looking at his black eyes.

“Haha! That is special. They are a special edition in honor of the Lions of Voltron. Yours is red because, well, because Red was your Lion at the beginning, remember that?”

"Sure," I looked at Lance. The reality was clear. “Lance... I love it!” And I hugged it. I must have looked very silly hugging a stuffed animal that way, but Lance didn't care.

There was a very large and thin square package, and I decided to open it. I found out that it was, “A drawing block?”

“Yeah! You love to draw! You are very talented, and not because I say so.”

“Really? I can’t believe him.”

“Of course!" Lance stiffened, “don't you remember?”

"Not really," I opened the block and went through the blank pages, "but I'll give it some use. Thank you.”

I know that Lance wasn't quite calm. But I didn't know why. There were still five packages to open. There was another box, this was the size of my hand. I took it ready to open it, but I stopped suddenly. Lance had sat on the bed without me noticing, he was very close to me and took my hair in his hands. He had that look again.

“We have to do something with your hair.”

"Something like what?" What was he talking about?

"Are you kidding? It is too long! Look! It can already cover your shoulders. Maybe if we made a small cut…” He reached out his other hand, and I held it tightly.

"Don't even try." He looked surprised, but cleared his throat and smiled again.

"Okay! We won't cut anything. Luckily, I have an alternative.”

He took something small and red from his pockets and picked up my hair. I only felt that he was holding it behind my head.

“And… it’s ready! What you think?”

Lance pulled his cell phone from his pants. He moved his fingers and then turned the screen towards me. And for the first time, I saw my face.

I dropped the package on the bed and held the phone. I saw my eyes, my chin, my lips, my nose, and my hair. I saw my scar, which Shiro had told me about and touched my cheek. I wasn't scared, just surprised. I hadn't forgotten how I looked like, it's just that it wasn't exactly as I thought. Although in reality, who could assure me if I had changed or not?

"Keith, is everything all right?" Asked Lance.

"Yes," I said, still looking at me, "It’s just- I didn’t remember me." I smiled.

“...Keith, I-”

The door opened, and Hunk entered with two glasses in his hand. “Hey, Lance. The doctor wants to talk to you.”

“Oh, yeah! I'm going.”

Lance got up, snatched his phone and walked to the door. He stopped before leaving and looked at me as before. He winked at me and closed the door when he left.

“Well, well!” Said Hunk. He went to sit in the same chair where he slept. "What is all this?"

"Lance said all this is for me. But I don't know why he did so much.”

Hunk laughed. "You’d be surprised at what he would do for you." He took a sip of his drink.

That was strange. “What are you talking about?”

“You know what? Just forget it. Keep up with what you are doing.”

"Hunk, please!"

He took another sip of his drink. It would’ve been useless to keep begging Hunk for answers. I know he wouldn't have given me any. So instead I decided to finish opening the presents. The box I had taken before turned out to contain a cell phone inside. Hunk was surprised because he said it was one of the most modern cell phones, and therefore the most expensive.

"Hunk, um..."

“Yes?”

"Could you, uh... could you..." I was embarrassed to ask. I just gave him the phone.

"Do you want me to set it up for you?"

“Yes please.”

“Sure!”

Hunk took it, and I continued with the gifts. I found a red scarf. It was long, it was soft, and it was comfortable. Perfect. I also came across a case of color pencils, I guess for the block. And in a box, I came across a dog collar. It was special because the necklace shone in different colors according to how you moved it. It was great, although I wasn't sure I had a dog.

There was only one gift left. It also fits in my hand, it was rectangular and thin. I thought it would be a notebook or similar. But when I opened it, I found a printed and framed photograph. It was Lance and me. His right arm raised the camera and his left arm was on my shoulders. His smile was huge. I was looking at him and smiling too. We both wore the armor of Voltron, but the background behind us was green. Like a field or something.

"Hunk, I don't understand."

“Excuse me?” He said looking at me.

“What’s all this? Why did Lance do all this for me? Don't misunderstand, I... I feel flattered and, and I like all this. But I don't understand why he would do it. “I looked at the picture and showed it to Hunk. “What does this mean?”

"Well, uh... Keith, it's not me who should give you explanations..."

"Try at least! Please…”

Hunk took a deep breath. “Okay. But don't tell Lance I opened my mouth.” He waited a few seconds. “Keith, you and Lance... I don't know what exactly you remember about him, but, you two became very close, so to speak. You became inseparable and... And Lance appreciates it very much. He would do anything for you. And the accident that happened scared him too much. You have no idea how bad he was.”

"And why did it affect him so much? I mean-”

"I know what you mean," Hunk sighed. “Keith, you saved his life. I don't know-how, or what you had to do, but you did it, and thanks to you he’s alive. But because of that you almost died, and... I do not doubt that Lance blames himself for that.

I was stunned. There was still a lot I didn't understand, and there was a lot I wanted to ask, but I couldn't have done it at that moment. I had saved his life, even though it could cost mine. Although I didn't imagine it, I believed Hunk. If Lance and I became as close as he said, then I wouldn't have doubted it. As with Shiro, or any of the others. But then, had all this been nothing but kindness? Would Lance be trying to be in debt to me? That thought made me feel sad. For him, and me. And suddenly he slammed the door open.

"Keith!" He shouted. "We're going home! Tomorrow!!!"

I could only say one word. "What?"

...

 


	6. A Tale at Hospital

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Before leaving the hospital, Keith has the chance to talk a little more with his friends, maybe he can finally know something more about his life or maybe about the accident.

**Chapter 6:**

**“A Tale at Hospital”**

 

“Can you believe it!?” Said Lance with excitement.

He hurried up to the bed and sat down with a leg bent over the clothes he had just given me. He was already close and yet he leaned toward me. His hands took my forearms and slid to my wrists. My skin was cold, but he was warm.

“We can finally go back to the house! After so long!”

“Are you sure, Lance?" Hunk even stood up, he also looked happy. “But, just like that?”

“Yes!” He said laughing. “Well, not just like that, there are still things I have to check first with the doctor and the hospital. But…” He closed his eyes and sighed, “...but that's all.”

When Lance opened his eyes again I could see fatigue I hadn’t noticed before, exhaustion hidden in his eyes. I wondered why, did he do something exhausting the rest of the day? Maybe he wouldn't have slept well? Or maybe... Maybe it’d be me. As soon as I thought that, Lance looked at me and that tiredness disappeared. Once again he smiled at me, and I almost thought he was going to cry.

“Keith! We’re going home!" His hands held tighter. “You’re not happy?”

“W-well… I, heh…”

"You... you don't remember, do you?”

"I didn't even know I was living in a house,” I laughed. Until now I hadn’t thought before where I lived. “How is it?”

“Oh, yeah! Sure, um, let me see-”

"Just, can you-" I cleared my throat, "could you let go now?"

I looked down to see my hands, although I actually saw his.

He looked at me confused, and then looked down. "Oh, sorry," he released me. He cleared his throat. "Well... Let me see." Lance bit her lower lip. "How do I explain?"

I didn't know what he was talking about, so I didn't know what to expect from his answer. I looked at Hunk but he only raised his eyebrows and smiled at me.

"I just want to know what it looks like, you know. You don't have to tell me more.”

“I know! I know, it’s just, hehe. Okay, listen. Keith,” he talked slowly and moved his hands as he spoke. “The first thing you should know is that you don't live alone. You... and me... um... we live together.”

"So, is it like in the Castle or something?"

“No, no. It is a real house. But, you don't live alone. We both live there... you and me... we live together.”

“Oh, great.”

"Wait, excuse me?” He asked.

“I said it's great, what's wrong about it? I mean, I know what it is to share a bedroom. Something I do remember is the time we all lived together in Allura’s Castle.”

"No, no, Keith. I don't think you're getting it…”

"Lance, I understand. You and I share a house, that's all! What's the problem with that?”

Lance looked mortified yet, but nodded and regained his smile.

“None.”

“Good! Can you now tell me what my house is like?”

Lance turned to see Hunk and they both shrugged. They didn't say a word, but I know they had just talked. Then Lance looked at me again.

“Well... it's a big house ...almost big," he winked. "It's placed on top of a hill, away from annoying neighbors, heh. The road to reach it is surrounded by trees, and beyond, a few meters away, there is a lake. Or I think it's a lagoon, I always forget it. Sometimes we like to go there to rest or swim. " Suddenly he stopped looking at me as if he was in the place he was talking about. “In summer, when it rains, everything turns an exceptional green. The water level rises and with it, fish appear. We don't catch them, of course. We like to go feed them. In winter the cold is intense, even with the little snow, but nothing that hot chocolate couldn’t fix. And in spring there are many flowers and all of them have different shapes and colors. I brought some of them from other worlds hoping that they flourished here. Most did. Wow, bioluminescent ones are beautiful. I want you to see them. They just wanted to bloom on the shore, and the night show is... beautiful...”

I was fascinated by everything he was telling me. Although I didn’t know the place, nor the plants that he was talking about, I imagined it the best I could. I really wanted to go see all that with my own eyes. Suddenly he came back to himself and looked back at me. He noticed his behavior and even blushed.

“I think I got off the subject.”

“No, no! Please continue.”

He smiled again. He kept doing it. “Well. The house, right?" He cleared his throat. "It's a two-floor house, but the rooms are upstairs. To enter the house you have to climb stairs. Now for your leg is a problem, but we will manage. There is a balcony, which extends from the entrance and surrounds to the back door. Upon entering, you have the living room to your right and the dining room to your left. A bar divides it from the kitchen. On the outside, at the bottom next to the stairs there is a garage. There we can enter to another living room, where we have a piano, a pool game, and other things. We can enter that room from above, but there are also stairs. Now the stairs don't seem to have been such a good idea. Finally, we also have a garden. Sometimes we have family gatherings there or important celebrations. Sometimes you and-” He paused for a moment. “Sometimes we play volleyball there, or we train.” He looked at me in that strange way again. “I want you to see it.”

“And so do I!” I exclaimed. “Lance, it sounds great.”

Suddenly his cell phone rang. When he looked at it, he was surprised. " _Oliver_ , excuse me for a second! It is important. Hunk, take a look at him, please.” He got up and headed for the door. Just when he left, I heard him answer the call. “ _Holy Ollie_ , hehe...”

‘Oliver’, who could he be?

...

Despite how bad my memory was, I couldn't forget that name. A while later, Lance came back in and said there was something he needed to do. He didn't tell me what it was, but he would have to go. I assumed that it had to do with this Oliver guy, and I would have wanted to ask Hunk about it but I felt that maybe I’d be meddling too much in foreign affairs. So I better choose to ignore it.

"I'm leaving," he said, "but Hunk is going to stay here with you. If you need anything, just-”

"Lance, I'm not a baby. We'll be fine.” I told him.

"Uh, of course. I get it. Hunk, you're in charge.” He pointed a finger at him. “Call me immediately if something happens.”

He was heading for the door, but halfway he stopped. He turned and looked at me, then came back and gave me a warm hug. I didn't expect it, but I hugged him back even then. I heard him mutter something, but before I could ask him what he said he left. I remembered what Hunk told me, that supposedly I had risked my life to save his, and the thought only made me sad.

The feeling went away when Hunk handed me my new phone. “All yours!” I took the device in my hands and looked at it for a long time. “Keith?”

"Hunk, could you teach me how to use it?”

Hunk smiled at me. "It’s a pleasure.”

Hunk sat in a chair next to me and taught me how to use it from zero. He told me about applications, contacts, calls, and messages. He showed me the camera, he showed me the Internet, and much more. Hunk taught me calmly, making sure I understood everything he told me, and I thanked that, because I didn't know how to use it at all. We even practice a phone call.

Soon a nurse arrived with my breakfast. It wasn't the big deal I have no idea what it was, but at least they had brought me my glass of water. When the nurse left, Hunk complained again about the food, and suddenly I saw that he lifted a backpack from him, and from it, he took out a sandwich.

“Hunk! That's illegal.” I said laughing.

"Only if someone catches us. I prepared it especially for you.”

And seriously it was delicious. Although we were afraid that suddenly someone else would come in and discover us. After eating I felt sleepy, I lay down again and asked Hunk to tell me something about him. He told me that he managed to create a ‘Universal Food Service’. A kind of space franchise, which brought together cooks of different species, but all following his rules and recipes. It was very interesting, but my eyes closed until I finally went back to sleep...

...

...

_I opened the eyes and I was standing in the middle of an infinite corridor lit only by purple lights at the sides. The entire surface was metallic, and I kept hearing the echo of some alarm signals. I tried to walk but my legs did not respond. I could only turn but there was nothing and no one else. Then I heard the echo of a voice. And then another, and another. Many voices came from the other side of the tunnel, but I couldn't see anyone. Until I managed to recognize a voice. It was Lance, and he shouted my name. Then I heard someone running towards me. I wanted to focus my eyes and see him, but I didn't get it. Suddenly I heard Lance, “Behind you!” I finally turned around and felt a shot in my left shoulder._

...

I woke up overwhelmed, covered in sweat and breathing fast. My shoulder hurt, and I couldn't help looking at it. I uncovered my shoulder, but my vision was blurred.

"Keith, look at me!" I turned to see Hunk, and next to him I suddenly recognized Pidge.

"Keith, are you alright?" She asked me.

"Yes,” I said, moistening my mouth. "A nightmare..." I turned to see her. "Were you here before?" Because I don’t... I don't remember you here, I-”

“It’s okay. I arrived about half an hour ago.”

"Oh... And what about Lance?"

"He'll be back as soon as he can," said Hunk. “And me too,” he got up and stretched. “I'd love to stay here, but duty calls. But don't worry, you are in good hands.”

"Of course he is," Pidge said. "Besides, Coran is also on his way. And Shiro and Curtis are coming at six.”

‘ _Shiro and who?_ ’ I thought about asking, but this time I didn’t want to remember anyone.

“Alright. Then see you at night,” said Hunk. He hugged me and then Pidge. "Your stuff is in the backpack on the couch. Bye.”

"Bye, Hunk. Well, Keith? How do you feel today?” She asked me when he left, but I didn't answer.

I looked at my shoulder again, the pain I felt had been so real I was sure I would find the wound. My eyesight had improved and I thought I saw a stain, but I didn't know if it was real.

"Keith?"

“What?!” I asked alarmed. “Nothing, I-I just, u-um... what did you say?”

"Is there a problem?"

I sighed. “I had a nightmare. I'm sorry.”

"No, it’s okay. Do you want to talk about it?"

“N-no… it's not important.”

"Yes, it is Keith. Go ahead, you can trust me.”

After a moment I agreed. “I don't remember much. Just a long hallway. I don't know where, nor what I was doing there. I heard many voices, but... I didn't recognize anyone. Then I thought someone was shooting at me and-” I looked at my shoulder. “I'm sorry, it felt so-”

“Real?” She said. I turned to see her and saw her intrigued. "Anything else?"

I thought about the other dreams I had: the spacecraft, the fire, and the voices. And I also remembered that I saw Lance next to me before waking up, but it didn't seem right to talk about it. "There's not much else to say, why?"

Pidge hesitated, but replied, "It's curious that you dreamed it, actually, I risk believing it's a memory."

“Really?” I wanted to get up, but my arms couldn't hold me.

“Nope, no. We are not going to talk about the accident.”

"Pidge, please! What should I do to know?”

"Keith, it's not because of you. If it were for me I’d talk to you, seriously, but…

"...Don't tell me," I said annoyed. “Lance?”

She nodded. "Forgive me, but I'm not going to talk about you."

I thought about it. In the first place, it was starting to annoy me the fact that Lance seemed to have some authority over me. Neither Hunk nor Pidge wanted to talk about what happened because Lance didn't let them. And I'm sure Shiro hadn't wanted to tell me more for the same reason. Then I thought about changing the point of view.

"Okay, I'm not going to ask about the accident. Ju-just two questions, can I?”

"Mmm, go ahead.”

"Okay..." I took a breath, and courage too. "First question, why is Lance important?"

"Uh, what do you mean?"

“Please. Pidge, you just said it, the problem is with Lance. He doesn't want you to talk. And the same with Hunk, he didn't want to tell me anything because he promised it to him. Shiro and the others also promised, right?”

She sighed. “Yes, Keith."

“So? Why? I don’t understand. I-” I felt embarrassed and I didn't want to look at her. “Before waking up I had dreams… or something like that. I knew that Lance was there and, and I felt happy because he was there... And when I finally woke up I felt the need to see him. I wanted him to be with me... why? Why does he have such authority over me?”

"Keith, it's not that...” She measured a few seconds. I'm sure Pidge would’ve preferred not to talk about it, but she finally agreed. “You win. I'm going to tell you what I know, but only what I know, okay?” I nodded.

“Okay. I was in a station orbiting the Earth when I received the call from Hunk. He sounded scared, he told me ‘ _I don't know what happened, but Keith and Lance are badly injured. Keith needs surgery_.” Immediately after, Matt and I met and returned to the planet. Shiro, Curtis, and Hunk were already here. The news flew like the wind, and all our families soon arrived, or those who could come. ‘ _What happened?_ ’ Asked some. ‘ _How bad is it?_ ’ Others asked. ‘ _Are they going to survive? Where were they? What do they have?’_ And I could keep telling, is everything okay by now?”

I was anxious, my head threatened to hurt again and I clenched my teeth. But I just wet my lips and nodded. “Go on.”

“Good. Lance was the first to wake up. Despite his broken bones, a head injury, and some second-degree burns, he was almost fine. He was shocked and it was hard to talk to him at first, and when he finally recovered he refused to speak until he heard about you. And... When he finally saw you and knew the damage you had, he... He was devastated. Hunk and I had to take care of him because he got really bad,” she sighed, “it wasn't easy, Keith. For none of us, but I guess you two got the worst part. Who suffered the most, I don't know how to say it. You don't remember that, and much more, but Lance does, and he doesn't forgive him.”

"But it wasn't his fault, was it?"

Pidge shrugged. "I don't know. Lance never wanted to talk about it with me. Neither Shiro nor almost anyone. I think the only one who knows is Hunk, the doctor who treated him, and himself. I think it was an accident, on a mission of you two. I only know that both are alive in a miracle, and it was thanks to you. He said you saved his life.”

She stopped. I think I understood Lance's attitude a little more, and the concern with him. Everything I wanted to know had to do with him. It affected him directly because it is something he had lived too. Until now, I believed that the accident had been for me. When Hunk said that I had saved his life, I thought that maybe circumstances had led me to approach him, that what happened would have been my fault, and that maybe he knew it, nothing more. But now everything seemed to be that we were both together when it happened. Lance knows exactly what happened, and still torments him.

"Do you still have another question?" Said Pidge.

“Yes!” I said without thinking. Curiosity had already stung me. “Forget Lance. I got it, I think so. Do you remember when I woke up two days ago? Maybe? Last time, when Lance arrived... and the matter with the giant wolf.”

"Yes, I remember."

"Okay... Shiro said something that day, he said- he said he wasn't ready, or something."

"He said he hoped to be better prepared."

"Yes! What did he mean?"

“Okay. Keith, you and Lance arrived at the hospital two months ago. Both arrived in a critical state, you were treated, and both remained under observation. Lance woke up just two days later, and his recovery was easier. You woke up three days after the accident, but... you had no memory of anything or anyone. You didn't know who you were, where you were and why, or who the others were. Shiro and Krolia, your mother, tried to help you that first time, they tried to make you remember, but you rejected them. Besides, you were badly hurt. You got really bad and... Well, you had a kind of collapse and you were unconscious.”

"Shiro said he didn't want to saturate my head with so much information, did he mean that?"

“Yeah, something like that. But it was not the only time. Five days later you woke up again, and it was just as bad. You still didn't know who you were, but you became paranoid and believed that we had hurt you and held you here. It was nothing nice and in the end, you had another collapse and fainted again. Ten days after that, that is, eighteen days after the accident you woke up for the third time. You felt extremely tired and disoriented, but now you remembered your name, at least. You were scared, but you seemed stable and more willing to listen, then Lan- We, I mean, decided to tell you everything. About your life, about Voltron, us, and finally, Lance decided to tell you about the accident. And I think you got even worse, you were shocked by- by everything, and once again you collapsed. And you didn't wake up again in more than a month. You woke up for the last time a few days ago.”

Pidge stopped. I felt a pressure in my chest, and I took deep breaths. My head was already hurting, and I assumed that was what Pidge meant. Everything I had just known made me feel sick, dizzy and shaky. I couldn't focus on Pidge, but I didn't want to give in to fainting this time. I tried to control myself.

"Keith? You feel bad, right? Agh! I knew it, I'll go for the nurse!”

“No! Don’t leave!”

Pidge got up and walked away. I tried to stop her, but the effort only increased the pain in my head, and now my leg also hurt.

"Please... please stay with me...” it was harder for me to breathe. I knew I would soon get unconscious again, but I was struggling. Pidge returned to the chair and took my hand. I looked at her and smiled, although the headache had intensified. “Thank you...”

"Keith, please forgive me, it wasn't my intention."

"Don’t worry... it's not your fault... Thank you... for telling me..."

"Ugh, Lance is going to kill me."

"Heh... why so much concern?”

“Oh, no! You're not going to get information from me anymore.”

That made me laugh, and that made my head hurt even more. I lay down and closed my eyes.

“All right… I know… enough…”

...

...


End file.
